


A brother in need

by ChocoNut



Series: Many ways to say I love you [18]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Post Season 7, Post-Canon, Tyrion's the best bro ever, fluff and confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 20:48:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18269111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocoNut/pseuds/ChocoNut
Summary: While Brienne fights hard to ward off Tormund's unsolicited advances, Tyrion decides to take control of things...





	A brother in need

**Author's Note:**

> Pure fluffy fluff!

Days had passed since Brienne had returned to Winterfell, but no matter how hard she tried to forget, her last conversation with Jaime tormented her every single minute. She played with her food moodily, the way he had snubbed her in front of Cersei still fresh in her mind. _I can’t help you,_ was the look in his eyes, _don’t ask me to make promises I can’t keep. I’m a Lannister, don’t ask me to betray my own house._

Just as she was about to scan the hall to check if she was the only one yet to finish supper, an irritatingly familiar voice called out to her.

“Lady Brienne.”

Suppressing a groan, she reluctantly looked up from her plate to find Tormund making himself comfortable in the chair opposite to her. _Even meal times aren’t peaceful anymore,_ she realized, dreading the sight of the wildling gnawing at his chicken in a pathetic attempt at, what according to him, was seduction.

“I’ve finished.” She got up, wanting to escape his dreadful company. “I’ll have to take your leave.”

Glancing at her half-full plate, he flashed her a grin which most certainly felt like a leer. “No you haven’t, we can finish our meal together.”

Brienne frantically looked around for someone to rescue her, but other than a couple of people she didn’t know, there was no one else present.

“Fine,” she agreed, slumping into her chair again.

“My lady.” He spoke with the air of a man who had come with an ominous plan, the eager glint in his eyes only increasing her apprehension of how the conversation might go. “I’ve been thinking--” He paused, his eyes boring into hers, his gaze nearly making her cringe, but she tried not to react, deciding to remain silent in the interest of her temper and sanity. “I’ve had enough of staring at you.”

 _Thank the gods,_ she nearly heaved a sigh of relief, unable to believe her good fortune. Finally the man had understood that she had no interest in him.

“It’s time for us to talk. Let’s get to know each other, my lady.”

She coughed into her glass of water. “What?” she managed.

“What kind of men do you like?” he came directly to the point, oblivious of her discomfort.

“Lannisters,” said another familiar voice before she could reply. “May I take this chair, my lady?” Tyrion stood by the chair next to her, smiling at her politely.

Relieved by his arrival, while shocked at the same time by his reply, Brienne nodded.

“Tyrion Lannister, Hand of the Queen,” he introduced himself to Tormund.

“Tormund Giantsbane, friend and advisor to the King,” grunted her companion, clearly displeased with the interruption. “What did you mean when you said _Lannisters_?” he asked Tyrion, frowning.

“The kind of men she likes,” came his instant reply. “It was an answer to your question.”

Tormund’s eyes popped out of their sockets as he stared at Tyrion. “ _You?_ ” he mouthed, looking aghast. “And _she_?” Brienne nearly spat out her water on hearing his ridiculous assumption.

“ _Gods, no!_ ” Tyrion looked justifiably appalled. “I meant my brother,” he quickly clarified.

Tormund’s expression was unchanged. “The Kingslayer?”

“Don’t call him that,” Brienne instantly snapped at him, furious. “He’s a knight, his name’s Ser Jaime Lannister. Call him by his name.”

“See, I told you she likes him.” Tyrion turned to Brienne, daring her to deny his claim.

“I…” _don’t,_ was what she was about to say, but lying was something she could never get right, so she settled for silence, hoping Tyrion wouldn’t put her in an impossibly delicate situation. “He needs to get the respect he deserves,” she justified her angry reaction in a desperate attempt to mask her feelings for the handsome knight.

Her face, unfortunately, was a window to her heart, and Tyrion was smart enough to notice that. “She blushes at the mention of his name, Tormund, doesn’t that speak volumes about what she feels for him?”

Tormund leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “I want to hear it from her.”

Brienne shifted in her chair uncomfortably. “I don’t know, it’s... it’s--” she didn’t know how to put it “--complicated,” she finished.

“ _Complicated_ means she’s in love with him, but confused about her feelings,” Tyrion explained patiently. “So is my brother. I’m sure Jaime thinks it’s complicated too.”

“But he and your sister--”

“That’s just an illusion which will shatter soon,” Tyrion dismissed his claim. “He just doesn’t know yet that he’s in love with Lady Brienne.”

That stunned both Brienne and Tormund into silence, leaving Tyrion looking smug with his achievement. The discussion had come to an end and the three of them concentrated on finishing their meal. Tormund was the first to leave with an unmistakable scowl on his face. Brienne was about to follow, when Tyrion stopped her.

“Lady Brienne, can you sit down for a moment please?”

Knowing Tyrion’s sharp tongue, Brienne’s ears grew warm as she could guess what was coming, but she complied with his request. “Lord Tyrion, everything you told him--”

“--is nothing but the truth. Jaime is in love with you--”

“You must be joking,” she said, having heard enough of the younger Lannister’s sense of humour.

“Does it look like I’m joking, my lady?” His expression was solemn and his eyes had no indication of mockery or jest.

“You saw what happened at the Dragonpit,” she said quietly, trying to control the surge of emotions inside her. “He barely spoke to me, and the two lines he said were--”

“--the only way he could protect you from my sister. I was there, I overheard your conversation.”

“Then you also know that he stamped down my suggestion,” she cried out. “He wasn’t even ready to listen to me. He just--” she swallowed “--walked away, leaving me staring after him like a fool.”

“What you don’t know, my lady, is that the minute he took leave of you, he went straight to my sister and tried to reason with her,” Tyrion told her. “It was only because _you_ told him to.”

Heartwarming though this revelation was, it didn’t give any indication that Jaime might reciprocate her feelings. “Well, he’s still with her. He loves her,” she said dully.

“He’s marching here soon with an army.” Tyrion was smiling. “It’s _you_ whose company he’ll be in, not my sister's. It’s just a matter of time before he--”

“He’ll never leave her for me,” she said, wondering why Tyrion was out to prove the impossible. “So it’s best I stop dreaming about things that are never going to happen, for if I dare to hope, a heartbreak’s all I’m going to end up with.”

“Should I take that as an admittance of your love for him?” he asked, fixing her with a penetrating gaze.

“Yes,” she confessed. “But what I feel is of no significance.”

“It is--”  Tyrion reassured her “--because he feels the same. I’ve known Jaime to do unexpected things for love, so before you jump into conclusions, why don’t we wait for him to come to Winterfell?”

  
  
  


*****

  


“You defied Cersei?” Tyrion pestered him with the same question for the third time since morning while on their way to breakfast.

“Yes,” Jaime replied again, irritated that his brother had not allowed him even a second of peace since his arrival that morning.

“You just _fucked loyalty_ and walked away from our sister? I can’t fucking believe it!” He was grinning from ear to ear.

Jaime, however, was all the more infuriated. “I did,” he hissed, glaring at his little brother. “I made a promise--”

“To _her_?” Tyrion was quick to interrupt.

“Who?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know who he’s talking about.” It was Bronn who attacked him this time.

Jaime froze for a second, but then regained his composure and continued walking, lost in thoughts about Brienne. He would hate to admit it to them, but they were both right. He had made no promise to her, but it was she who had always triggered the right spark in him and influenced him to take all the right decisions. Before either of his annoying companions could tease him further, he was glad to notice that they had reached the hall.

He stopped abruptly when his eyes fell on Brienne and her companion. “Who the fuck is that?” he asked, staring in distaste at the savage-looking bearded fellow who sat next to her.

“Tormund Giantsbane,” Tyrion informed him. “He’s friend and advisor to the King.”

Jaime tried to swallow his anger at the sight of the man eying her with what was undoubtedly lust. “Jealous?” Bronn guessed, watching him in amusement. “Feel like breakin’ his fookin’ nose with that golden hand of yours?”

“No,” he denied immediately, tearing his eyes away from her. “Let’s quickly finish eating and get the hell out of here. It’s not going to be a pleasant day for me and I don’t want to make it any worse by attracting unwanted attention.”

“But you have to attract the attention you need,” Tyrion decided on his behalf. “Have you met Brienne yet?”

Seeing the wench again was one of the thoughts that almost constantly occupied his mind all through his ride North. While it was something he had been looking forward to, it also got him all nervous and jittery, given his confused feelings for her. “I can meet her later,” he tried to hastily avoid any impending awkwardness.

But before he could slink away, the damage was already done. “Lady Brienne,” Tyrion called out, drawing attention to them.

She stood up as soon as she saw Jaime, their eyes meeting like always, speaking to each other, saying things they had never dared translate into words. Those lovely blue eyes looked even more beautiful this morning. Surprise, he could see in them, and doubt, and something else… something far more than respect and regard for him. The three of them strode towards the pair, for thanks to his brother, they were left with no choice but to join Brienne and her companion at their table.

“My lady,” he greeted her, bending to kiss her hand.

“Ser Jaime,” she acknowledged with a courteous nod.

“May we join you?” Tyrion chimed in. While Brienne nodded politely, Tormund threw Jaime a sour expression leaving him wondering what grudge the man could possibly hold against him. Their plates were still untouched, which meant they were yet to begin eating.

Once they had settled down, the table was filled with an awkward silence.

“It’s so good to see you again--”  Both Brienne and Jaime said that at the same time, and he stopped, allowing her to go on. “You first, my lady.”

She blinked about a million times in that adorable way she usually did whenever she was flustered. “I was just saying--”

“--you’re both happy to see each other. We all know that, my lady,” Tyrion cut in impatiently, much to Jaime’s apprehension. “Now that we’ve established that, can we move on to more important things… like how much in love you two are--”

“Shut your mouth, Tyrion,” Jaime barked, wishing the ground would split open and swallow him.

“I would,” said his brother, unfazed. “Only if you had the bloody courage to admit it to her.”

Jaime stared at his hands, unnerved by his brother’s calm demeanour. “There’s nothing to admit--”

“--except that she’s all you’ve been thinking about since you arrived here,” said Bronn, adding fuel to the fire which was slowly threatening to turn into a huge explosion. Out of the corner of his eye, Jaime could see Brienne glancing furtively at him.

“And she’s been pining for him for days,” revealed his brother. Hearing this, Jaime turned to the wench, who quickly averted her gaze, choosing to focus on the table so that he could no longer spy on her lovely eyes.

“Oh, and have I told you about the time he gazed fondly at Tarth?” Bronn chipped in again, speaking to Tyrion as if the rest of them were invisible. “Gods, he missed her so much!” Embarrassed though he was, Jaime couldn’t help admiring Bronn’s acute sense of perception. He’d never imagined the sellsword to be such an excellent judge of emotions.

“No wonder, Cersei was burning with jealousy,” Tyrion went on. “She had good reason to be angry. My brother had eyes only for Lady Brienne at Joffrey’s wedding. You should’ve seen the way these two kept stealing glances at each other, Bronn, and not to mention the priceless sword he gifted her--”

“--and the armour,” supplied Bronn. “Perfect fit that was, though, I wonder, how?” He gave Jaime a sly wink. “And should I even mention how sad he was when he bid her goodbye at Riverrun?”

“Stop it, both of you!” Jaime banged his fist on the table, desperate to put an end to this annoying conversation. “There’s nothing between Brienne and me.”

“Nothing _yet_ ,” Tyrion corrected him. “If I’m right, and I usually am, there soon will be a lot going on between you two.”

“I don’t understand, Lord Tyrion,” Tormund finally opened his mouth, reminding them of his presence, which Jaime had completely overlooked in this double attack his brother and Bronn were subjecting him to. “If they’re both denying it, why do you keep insisting that they--”

“They had a bath together,” Tyrion cut in, shifting his chair closer to Tormund’s. “ _Naked_. Does that convince you, or do you need any more juicy details?”

“How the hell do _you_ know about that?” Jaime went pale, trying to control the sudden urge to strangle his brother for spilling out his intimate secrets in front of random and obnoxious strangers.

“I have my sources, brother,” Tyrion revealed with a mysterious smile.

“Wait,” Tormund butted in, glaring at Brienne, whose eyes were still fixed on the table. “You two shared a bath?”

Jaime noticed her absentmindedly playing with her knife, a sure sign of anxiety. Well, he wouldn’t let this Tormund make things worse for her. “We shared much more than a bath,” he found himself speaking up on her behalf, enraged that this man showed an unhealthy interest in his wench. “Not that it’s any of your business, though.”

“It’s as plain as daylight that Jaime fookin’ Lannister wants to fook her.” Bronn was as blunt as ever in speaking his mind out, smirking at Tormund who was now livid with rage. To his surprise, Jaime found himself agreeing with Bronn’s claim, having no inclination, whatsoever, to refute him. “And I’m sure she wants him too.” At this, he couldn’t help stealing a glance at the wench whose cheeks were now a delightful shade of pink.

“She blushes again,” Tyrion said happily. “And so does my big brother.”

“I am not blushing,” Jaime objected, his face growing hotter.

“Unless we leave these two alone to talk, all they’re going to do is blush like they’re both fifteen and keep denying the obvious,” Bronn suggested to Tyrion. “So why don’t we just let them sort it out like a pair of grownups?”

“I won’t believe it unless the lady herself says so,” Tormund said stubbornly, his expression that of disbelief. “It’s no surprise who she’d choose-a man like me who fights for the right side, or the honourless sisterfucker and an oathbreaker who--”

Brienne put her knife down with a clang and stood up, glaring at Tormund. “That’s enough,” she stopped him, her voice cold and menacing and her eyes shining with rage. “Ser Jaime is the most honourable man I’ve ever met. He has saved me in ways you can never even imagine.” A second later, her tone softened, the fury in her eyes turning into something entirely different when she directed her gaze at Jaime. “There were days when I hated him and even wanted to kill him--” a soft smile came upon her lips “--but now, I respect him and hold him in high regard. He’s no oathbreaker, but the only one who’s always kept his word to me. I trust him the most, more than anyone else, more than myself.” Finding it difficult to speak, she paused for a moment, leaving Jaime overwhelmed. His heart soaring at her kind words for him, all he wanted to do was to pull her into his arms and kiss her, to tell her that he loved her. “I care for him, and--” she lowered her lashes “--I love him.”

A long and tense silence ensued, leaving Jaime elated and Tormund absolutely dumbfounded. The wench took her seat again, but refused to look at any of them, returning to fiddle with her knife again.

Tyrion was the one to break the tension. “Is that enough, Tormund, or do you have any further questions for Lady Brienne?”

The wildling shook his head, yet to come out of the shock Brienne had so brutally inflicted upon him.

“Then why don’t we make ourselves scarce,” Tyrion suggested. “My brother and his lady have a lot to discuss, I’m sure--” he threw Jaime a meaningful look “--so many lost years to make up for.”

Once they were gone, Jaime was left alone with the wench. “I should probably leave too,” she mumbled, still not looking at him.

She was about to get up, but he was too quick for her. “Not so fast, wench.” He reached out, grabbing her hand. “After all that you just said, we obviously need to talk.” He went around to the other side of the table and took the chair next to her. “My lady--”

“I shouldn’t have said all that,” she spoke to the table, agitated and embarrassed with her impulsive confession. “I should’ve kept it to myself--”

“--and deprived me of the happiest moment of my life?” The moment he said this, she looked up at him, her eyes full of astonishment. “Why’re you so surprised my lady?” He took her hand in his, oblivious of the passers-by and the crowd around them. “Is it so unbelievable that I’m madly and desperately in love with you? Would you believe me if I told you that you were the most beautiful woman in all the seven kingdoms?”

He had touched a nerve, for her face fell when he called her beautiful. “I do believe that you love me, Ser Jaime, I can see it in your eyes, but to go so far as to call me beautiful would be--”

“You are beautiful, wench,” he insisted, hoping she’d believe him. “In my eyes. That’s all that matters to me… to us. I love you, my lady, and nothing in this world can change the way I feel about you.”

“But your sister--”

“I have nothing to do with her anymore,” he confessed, going on to explain to her about his confrontation with Cersei. “So you see, my lady, there’s no army coming. It’s just me.”

“Why?” was the only thing she asked.

“You make me do the right thing, no matter what. The right thing now, is to fight for the living, to be here with them… to be with _you_.” Now that the dam was broken, he felt the urge to tell her everything that was on his mind. “You’re my conscience, my lady, ever since I realized I had one. Everything you said about me to Tormund--”

“--was absolutely heartfelt,” she breathed, giving his hand a light squeeze. “Every word of it.”

Jaime smiled. “I’m not used to such kind words, so I do hope I live up to your opinion of me.”

“You already have,” her voice was full of warmth.

There was one more thing he had to tell her. “I owe you an apology for the way I treated you at the Dragonpit--”

“There’s no need to apologize, Ser Jaime,” she said softly. “Lord Tyrion told me why you behaved the way you did.”

“Did he also tell you that I’m an idiot who has wasted years, confused about his feelings for you?” He wondered what else his brother had told her.

“Yes,” she said, reddening. “If it makes you feel any better, he implied that I’m an idiot too.”

He nodded, mentally thanking his brother for his timely intervention. “Idiots in love, that’s what we’ve been all these years. Well,” he drawled, draping his arm around the back of her chair and leaning closer. “Now that there’s no more confusion, I’m sure you’ll allow me to do _this_ , my lady.” Before she could ask what he meant, he pulled her into his arms for a kiss, drinking her in as she kissed him back in her own clumsily adorable way.

They were lost in each other, blissfully oblivious of their surroundings until she pushed him away many seconds later, her face bright red and her lips delightfully swollen.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, worried that he might have offended her in some way.

“People are watching,” she whispered, lowering her eyes. Looking around, he saw Sansa grinning at them, while Tyrion and Bronn looked like men who had achieved the impossible. Tormund, on the other hand, had a lost, resigned look in his eyes.

Tired of hiding his love all these years, the very idea that there were people around them tempted Jaime all the more to kiss her again. Wary of stolen kisses, as was usually the norm with Cersei, he wanted to make his love for Brienne as obvious as he could. There was no harm in letting the world know this time. He had the right to be with her, for there was nothing shameful about it. What they shared was love at its purest form, and it wasn’t something that needed to be hidden.

“I don’t care,” he decided, tilting his face towards hers again. “Nor should you, wench.” He captured her lips again, and they would’ve kept going all morning, had it not been for a loud whistle behind him.

“I’m sure you have private chambers, my lady,” Bronn said, winking at Brienne. “I’d suggest you two use them, not just for kisses, but to foo--”

“Thank you, Bronn,” Jaime stopped him before he could embarrass them further.

Tyrion stepped forward, giving Brienne a warm smile. “Welcome to our family, my lady.”

“I haven’t asked her yet.” Jaime clenched his teeth, irritated with his brother’s over-enthusiasm.

“What’re you waiting for… spring? Ask her now,” Tyrion was quick to admonish him. He turned to Brienne again. “Forgive my brother, my lady, he’s never wooed anyone before, so asking a lady to marry him is far beyond his capability.”

“Thank you, Tyrion, but I can do just fine without you hovering around me,” Jaime said, scowling at his brother.

When they had decided to step away and allow them the courtesy of a private moment together, Jaime turned to the woman he loved. “So tell me, my lady--” he held her hand again “--would you do me the honour of being my wife?”

Her eyes were moist, telling him everything he wanted to know. “Do you need an answer, Ser Jaime?”

“No,” he breathed, losing himself in her gaze. “Your eyes have given me the reply I seek, but I’d still want to hear it.”

“Yes, I will wed you,” she replied, making him the happiest man in the seven kingdoms.

He leaned in to kiss her again, but she pushed him away playfully. “We’d rather take Ser Bronn’s advice and retreat to my chambers,” she suggested shyly.

And so breakfast was completely forgotten as they walked out of the hall side by side, not quite holding hands but at the same time close enough for their fingers to touch. The war was coming, but that wouldn’t stop them from being there for each other, for Jaime was yet to experience the pleasures of true love. Everything he had dreamed of - holding her hand, kissing her without fear, making love to her every night and the best of all, having someone who would be _his_ , who he could call his _wife_ … all of this was waiting for him.

Life had never been better.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, and do share your comments!


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